The adult roseate spoonbill is most noted for its stunning pink color and its uniquely-shaped bill. It is the only one of the six spoonbill species with brilliantly colored plumage. Its wings, abdomen and feathers on the side of its tail are bright pink, its tail is orange, and its legs are ruby-colored. The feather colors brighten in breeding season.
It’s easy to confuse an adult roseate spoonbill with a flamingo, until you look at their bills. Though both wading birds are bright pink, it’s not hard to know which species is called “spoonbill.” However, its broad, flattened beak, whose tip is not too different from the shape of a manatee’s tail, is characteristic of birds young and old.
It is the only one of the six spoonbill species with brilliantly colored plumage. Its wings, abdomen and feathers on the side of its tail are bright pink, its tail is orange, and its legs are ruby-coloredThe roseate spoonbill gets much of its pink color from the food it eats. The crustaceans that it eats feed on algae which contain pigments that impart a pink/red color.
The millinery or “hat trade” also took a heavy toll on the spoonbill in the late 1800s. It’s ironic that roseate spoonbills were hunted for their plumage: their feather color fades rapidly, so the fans and hats made from their plumes had only a limited lifespan.
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